The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) believes that any academically qualified student with the desire to pursue post-secondary education should not face any barrier - financial, social, political, physical, cultural, or otherwise. CASA believes in post-secondary education that is affordable and accessible to all, as it is one of the most effective tools for increasing employment rates and lifetime earnings as well as reducing poverty.
CASA would like to see government savings programs, financial aid and workforce development initiatives expanded and improved to better support Canadians who wish to attend post-secondary, especially low-income and underrepresented groups.
Recommendations:
- Improve access to the Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for low-income applicants by proactively distributing the Canada Learning Bond (CLB) to qualified persons
- Expand Canada Student Grants to offer grants designated for underrepresented peoples and for graduate students with high financial need
- Increase access to post-secondary education for underrepresented peoples, such as First Nations and Canadians with disabilities
- Offer more employment training and transition programs for youth and students
This submission was sent to the Government of Canada on March 2, 2017 as part of their public consultation on poverty reduction. Read CASA's whole submission here.
